Chloe has a sneaky habit of making up stories. She thinks it's no big deal, but one day crazy little fluffs appear every time she tells a lie. Chloe starts stuffing the fluffs in her closet, but soon it's almost ready to burst. Not only that, she realizes that her lies are sinful and are hurting her relationships. But after her father confesses his own lie and asks God for forgiveness, Chloe gains the courage to let out all of her secrets.
Most children (and adults too) struggle with being completely truthful. Even though we know it's wrong to not tell the whole truth, it's still hard to help a child understand why. Best-selling author Ginger Hubbard and Al Roland give parents practical suggestions for helping their children (and themselves) learn to speak the truth. The parent resource page at the end of Chloe and the Closet of Secrets: A Book about Lying gives a biblical framework to help children understand what a lie is, some reasons that they lie, and the power of confession and forgiveness.
Children ages 4-7 will love the silly story with its bright, fun illustrations, and in the process be encouraged to always tell the truth.
Chloe and the Closet of Secrets is part of the new Teaching Children to Use Their Words Wisely series.
"This age-appropriate, enjoyable, and refreshing approach to the topic of lying will help parents talk with children about telling the truth and confessing. Children will relate to the explanation of the Holy Spirit's role in conviction and repentance. Who hasn't experienced a "tightening of the chest"? I love that the dad is the hero. When he prayed to be forgiven for lying, everything changed for Chloe. Well done!"
Kathy Koch, Founder, Celebrate Kids, Inc.; author of 8 Great Smarts and other popular parenting books
"Every parent is looking for creative, helpful resources to reinforce the biblical themes they are teaching their kids. As a pastor and parent, I highly recommend Chloe and the Closet of Secrets for your family. We often think little white lies these seemingly cute and innocent deceptions are harmless. But the sooner we help our kids see the destructive results of a dishonest life, the better we are shaping them to live an obedient and repentant life for Christ. Ginger Hubbard and Al Roland are wonderful guides for your family."
Daniel Darling, Director of the Land Center for Faith and Culture, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; bestselling author of several books, including, The Characters of Christmas, A Way with Words,and The Dignity Revolution
"Since every child is tempted to lie, every family will want to keep a copy of Chloe and the Closet of Secrets on their shelf. The best part of Hubbard and Roland's book is the gospel solution they offer confessing our lies and trusting in Christ erases the lies and gives us new life. I will be reading this book to my grandkids."
Marty Machowski, Family Pastor; author of The Ology, Wonder Full, Don't Blame the Mud, and other gospel-rich books and resources for church and home.
"Stories are often the most powerful way to teach important lessons, especially to children. In Chloe and the Closet of Secrets, parents have the opportunity to address the problem of lying with their kids in a way that reveals the seriousness of sin while providing ultimate hope through the forgiveness of Jesus. It is like reading a gospel version of the classic Dr. Suess books! Not only is the story engaging, but the guide at the end of the book provides parents with important tools to reinforce the lesson effectively. This book is a gift for children and parents alike!"
Durenda Wilson, Author of The Four Hour School Day, The Unhurried Homeschooler, and Unhurried Grace for a Mom's Heart; host of The Durenda Wilson podcast
"This short rhyming book teaches children that lying is wrong. Whether we lie to protect ourselves, to impress others, or for any other reason, lying is hurtful to the person who is lying and to others who are affected by the lies. But the most important lesson this book offers is the truth that we can confess our lies, be forgiven, and experience the grace of God."
Wendy Hilton and Trish Corlew, Owners of Hip Homeschool Moms, Only Passionate Curiosity, and Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers
"While character training in children cannot regenerate the heart, it does shape it. As a result, good parenting will both speak the gospel and shape the will. I am delighted to see this new series of children's books by Ginger Hubbard and Al Roland does both. Parents and grandparents will find these a fun and engaging help as they seek to disciple the hearts of their children."
Chap Bettis, Author of The Disciple-Making Parent and other resources for the family
"As a longtime fangirl of Ginger Hubbard's books, I was absolutely delighted to get a hold of this fun, engaging, thought-provoking, and beautifully illustrated new book series for children. Ginger has a way with words and, as in all of her writing, she focuses on the most important thing, pointing our children to their need for a Savior! These books are sure to be dearly loved for generations to come."
Yvette Hampton, Producer and host, Schoolhouse Rocked podcast
"As a parent, I need all the help I can get in assisting my children to see the need to control their words and actions. The Teaching Children to Use Their Words Wisely series is a welcomed resource to help children see the benefits of choosing wise behavior."
Israel Wayne, Author; conference speaker; founder of Family Renewal
"These fun, rhyming stories captivate children's attention while shining a light on their sinful speech and its consequences. They convict children and parents! of the seriousness of their sin, but these are far more than moral tales. They point to the grace of the gospel and the wonder of forgiveness that come only through Jesus. There is great wisdom and great hope within these pages."
Melissa Cutrera, ACBC certified counselor; author of God's Great Plan
"It can be a challenging task explaining the abstract concept of lying to children, and the burden of telling lies can become overwhelming. This excellent, relatable book allows children to see their lies in a tangible way. Children will quickly learn that asking Jesus for forgiveness removes shame and guilt, and the grace of God is liberating!"
Lee Ann Mancini, Author; speaker; executive producer of the animated series Sea Kids; podcast host of Raising Christian Kids
"Hubbard and Roland do an outstanding job of helping parents teach their children to be truth-tellers in Chloe and the Closest of Secrets. She highlights the effect of lying on a child's heart, along with the impact a parent's example has on a child. Most importantly, the story unfolds within the framework of biblical principles of honesty. Children will want to read this book repeatedly as they learn to say no to lying and yes to honestly."
Connie Albers, Author of Parenting beyond the Rules; host of Equipped To Be; associate producer of Schoolhouse Rocked; speaker
"How can a children's book change your life? Chloe and the Closet of Secrets does. The authors and illustrator take us into the heart of a child and mirror our own hearts. This book equips us to deal with our sin in a healthy, biblical way through charming illustrations and rhyme. It is a must-have for a family and church library."
Robert J. Nash, Pastor at Sawyer Highlands Church in southwest Michigan; author of Last Words: Seven Sayings from the Heart of Christ on the Cross
"This darling tale engages kids as they discover the real consequences of lying."
Kim Sorgius, Author; creator of Not Consumed Ministries
"Thank you to the authors for crafting such a clever story! Children will learn the consequences of negative behavior through the reading of this rhyming, creative journey which ends with the main character rightly positioned before God and other people. The story is captivating and the illustrations are intriguing. It will be a book children ask for again and again!"
Jean Thomason, Singer/songwriter; author; speaker, live performer of the children's character, Miss Pattycake
"This book tackles such an important issue that many families face. Lying is a sneaky little sin that becomes a stronghold for many children. Chloe and the Closet of Secrets is a brilliant way to help kids see lying for what it is and understand the solution that can set them free. What a beautiful and well-written book!"
Monica Swanson, Author of Boy Mom; host of The Boy Mom podcast
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Chloe and the Closet of Secrets does a wonderful job at showing what, in essence, happens when people lie. The lies get bigger and bigger until we can't hide them anymore. Sometimes, the "closet" bursts open without warning and other times God gently prods us until we open the closet and reveal all. Great book! Would definitely reccommend!
We are in a phase right now where we are talking a lot about the power our words have, and what God has to say about it, including lying. I really love the way this book deals with this issue and spends some time going over the process - confessing our sin, asking forgiveness, and how Jesus washes us clean. The rhymes are very catchy and read super well! It's become one of my daughter's favorite books to read and we even got a cute little stuffed animal that looks like the "puffs" in the book, but we call it a "tell the truth" puff. :) We were provided a complimentary copy of this book, however, all opinions are my own!
Using a biblical framework, Chloe and the Closet of Secrets tackles the topic of lying in a manner that children can really see and understand. Every time Chloe tells a lie a fluff appears. At first she is able to hide the fluffs in her closet, but soon the closet is reaching capacity. Further, Chloe is recognizing that lies impact relationships. This book is a terrific means to start a family discussion about the importance of telling the truth. While this complimentary book was provided for review by New Growth Press, no other compensation was given. All remarks are my personal and honest opinions.
A whimsical picture book about the very real problem of lying. Written and formatted well for the target age group of 4-7 years old, I liked the colorful illustrations and the imaginative way that the story was told. The rhyming cadence was fun and sing-song, in a way that reminded me a little of Twas the Night Before Christmas. Overall, this was a enjoyable book, written in a way that is fun, but also shows the gravity of lies, and points to only source of freedom from lies and lying. I think that this book would be a great way to start a conversation, and it also has some ideas and resources included in the back. An excellent book to share with the young person in your life. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
A colourful, brightly illustrated picture book for 4-7 year olds. Chloe wakes up to discover that every time she tells a lie, a ‘fluff’ appears. She hides the fluffs in her closet, but more keep appearing with each lie, and they are growing bigger. At the end of the day, Chloe’s dad confesses his own lies at work, leading Chloe to admit that she is struggling as well. Lying is an important topic to address with young children. But this book creates a silly problem that results from the child’s lying, and I think few kids would consider that smiling balls of fluff were really that much of a big deal. The rhymes feel forced, and there are a lot of words saying more than is needed. There are also concepts that are older than this age group can generally interpret, e.g.: “The conviction set in like a weight in the air. I’d been trapped in my lies. I’d been bound and ensnared.” Remarkably, Chloe’s freed from the sin of lying in one day. Perhaps it might be better to show kids that sin is hard sometimes to master, but with Jesus we can do so.
